Healthy dietary patterns are built by balancing all food groups. Because these patterns are a framework – not a prescription – health professionals play a key role in helping individuals personalize their plates to reflect their preferences, traditions, and budgetary considerations.  

This Celebrating Personal Plates Toolkit is a one-stop-shop for supporting healthy eating across global cuisines. Based on the most prominent population subgroups in the US, as well as other demographic factors (e.g., socioeconomic status, diet-related chronic disease prevalence), it features a complementary and turnkey set of materials to support nutrition education with the US population. These include a tip sheet, sample five-day menu plan, recipe cards, and a facilitator guide.

This tip sheet offers practical ways to help consumers enjoy nutritious eating patterns that incorporate their favorite global flavors and foods.

This handout highlights how foods from all five food groups fit together in a balanced five-day sample menu. It also includes a blank template so consumers can build their own healthy eating plan.

This guide outlines the evidence, rationale, and development process behind the Toolkit to support effective use in nutrition education. It also provides ideas for how to best meet people where they are, make nutrition advice relevant, and build trust within communities.